HOUSTON – Husband, son and father, Byron Wilson recovered in the hospital Wednesday. He was shot three times as Houston police said he tried to stop a mass shooting in his neighborhood on Sunday.

"He was able to crawl ... kinda stumble into the TJ Maxx that was there on Memorial and he was able to call his wife and get help,” said Wilson’s friend, Angela Guerra. She told KPRC 2, "Extremely fortunate. To be shot with an automatic weapon and to come out alive after being wounded three times by it is just amazing. It really is a gift that he survived it."

Guerra said doctors have operated on both legs with more surgeries ahead. She said he was also shot in the shoulder. She said it was healing but was also bleeding. She set up a GoFundMe account to help her friend. She knew the medical bills would be extensive. She said he also has a wife and a 4-year-old son to support. She said, "They are such amazing people and it's unfortunate that they're having to go through this."

She hoped the donations would help ease part of the pain. She said Wilson had one goal: protect his neighborhood. But as she said, he was shot before reaching the gunman. Guerra said, "Prayers, good thoughts. Anything and everything helps because he has a long, long road to recovery."

She said her friend could spend months in the hospital and could be years before he walks again.